The Elements of Fiction

Elements of fiction work like a puzzle to put together a story or novel.

Author’s Purpose An author’s reason for creating a particular work is called the author’s purpose. Sometimes the author will state his or her purpose up front. Other times you’ll need to make inferences (reasonable guesses) about the author’s purpose. There are four basic reasons an author might choose to write: to explain or inform to entertain to persuade to enlighten or reveal an important truth

Why do we read fiction? The eternal answers to this question are two: enjoyment and understanding. There are two different types of fiction- Commercial and Literary Commercial Fiction- Written and published primarily to make money, and it makes money because it helps large numbers of people escape the tedium and stress of their lives. Examples- legal thrillers, romance novels, fantasy, horror, easy-to-read short stories and New York Times best sellers. Literary Fiction- Written by someone with serious artistic intentions who hopes to broaden, deepen, and sharpen the reader’s awareness of life. Plunges the reader more deeply into the real world, enabling us to understand life’s difficulties and to empathize with others. These two styles are not clearly defined; many works fit both categories.

The Elements Include: Plot Symbolism Character Theme Setting Irony Point of View Tone and Style Mood

PLOT An author’s selection and arrangement of incidents in a story to shape the action and give the story a particular focus. Discussions of plot include not just what happens, but also how and why things happen the way they do.

Character a person presented in a dramatic or narrative work

A hero or heroine, often called the PROTAGONIST, is the central character who engages the reader’s interest and empathy. The ANTAGONIST is the character, force, or collection of forces that stand directly opposed to the protagonist and gives rise to the conflict of the story.

static character does not change throughout the work, and the reader’s knowledge of that character does not grow, whereas a dynamic character undergoes some kind of change because of the action in the plot. flat character embodies one or two qualities, ideas, or traits that can be readily described in a brief summary. They are not psychologically complex characters and therefore are readily accessible to readers.

stock characters - embody stereotypes such as the “dumb blonde” or the “mean stepfather.” They become types rather than individuals.

Round characters - more complex than flat or stock characters, and often display the inconsistencies and internal conflicts found in most real people. They are more fully developed, and therefore are harder to summarize.

Characterization - the process by which a writer makes the character seem real to the reader.

Authors have two major methods of presenting characters : showing and telling.

Showing allows the author to present a character talking and acting, and lets the reader infer what kind of person the character is. Telling the author intervenes to describe and sometimes evaluate the character for the reader. Characters can be convincing whether they are presented by showing or by telling, as long as their actions are motivated.

Motivated action occurs when the reader or audience is offered reasons for how the characters behave, what they say, and the decisions they make. Plausible action action by a character in a story that seems reasonable, given the motivations presented.

Setting the physical and social context in which the action of a story occurs. major elements of setting are the time, the place, and the social environment that frames the characters. Setting can be used to evoke a mood or atmosphere that will prepare the reader for what is to come. Sometimes, writers choose a particular setting because of traditional associations with that setting that are closely related to the action of a story.

Point of View Refers to who tells us a story and how it is told. What we know and how we feel about the events in a work are shaped by the author’s choice of point of view. The teller of the story, the narrator, inevitably affects our understanding of the characters’ actions by filtering what is told through his or her own perspective.

Symbolism A person, object, image, word or event that evokes a range of additional meaning beyond and usually more abstract than its literal significance.

Types of Symbols Conventional symbols have meanings that are widely recognized by a society or culture. Writers use conventional symbols for reinforcing meanings. A literary or contextual symbol can be a setting, character, action, object, name or anything else in a work that maintains its literal significance while suggesting other meanings.

Theme the central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work provides a unifying point around which the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of a work are organized. It is important not to mistake the theme for the actual subject of the work; the theme refers to the abstract concept that is made concrete through the images, characterization, and action of the text.

Irony a literary device that uses contradictory statements or situations to reveal a reality different from what appears to be true.

Verbal irony is a figure of speech that occurs when a person says one thing but means the opposite. Sarcasm is a strong form of verbal irony that is calculated to hurt someone through, for example, false praise. Tragic irony is a form of dramatic irony found in tragedies. Situational irony exists when there is an incongruity between what is expected to happen and what actually happens due to forces beyond human comprehension or control. Cosmic irony occurs when a writer uses God, destiny, or fate to dash the hopes and expectations of a character or of humankind in general. In cosmic irony, a discrepancy exists between what a character aspires to and what universal forces provide.

Tone the author’s implicit attitude toward the reader or the people, places, and events in a work as revealed by the elements of the author’s style. may be characterized as serious or ironic, sad or happy, private or public, angry or affectionate, bitter or nostalgic, or any other attitudes and feelings that human beings experience.

Style the distinctive and unique manner in which a writer arranges words to achieve particular effects. essentially combines the idea to be expressed with the individual word choices as well as matters such as the length of sentences, their structure, tone, and use of irony.

Mood The mood of a literary work is the feelings that a writer wants readers to have while reading. It’s the atmosphere that’s created. Writers can choose words, phrases, and images to create a whole range of moods—from anger and sadness to excitement and fear.